Goodbye Again
by KryssyV1
Summary: With Stewie the only child in the household, he turns to Brian for friendship and comfort, until he can no longer do so. Eventually Brian/Stewie and Stewie/Penelope.
1. Prologue Death Has A New Shadow

Whoa, a serious Family Guy fic? You betcha'. Rates and reviews are more than welcome!

Prologue- Death Has A Shadow

It was humorous, really- how long they felt like they aged for. It's been _years_ that Stewart Gilligan Griffin was one year old, and now that he is fifteen, his knowledge is still the same as when he was a mere toddler. Sure, the time machine is working perfectly, and his clones have the intelligence of him, without exceeding Stewie himself.

Stewie hasn't changed, but everyone else has.

Meg was the first to break the familiar bond of the household. Her disdain from the family, caused by years of abuse and neglect finally built up inside and she ran away. Lois thinks that she went to become a successful doctor- recalling Meg having a talent for medicine.

She was, indeed, the glue that held the family together, and despite certain efforts made, they all fell apart.

Chris eventually aged. His mind was still young at heart, but his heart was in the right place. When the Pewterschmidt parents were turning older and grayer, Chris vowed to stay with them, almost as an in home nurse. There, he lives happily, especially when his grandparents encourage him to draw excellent, skilled portraits of them and their friends.

With two children out of their household, Lois and Peter Griffin figured to have things easier. They were extraordinarily wrong, to the point where even Peter breathing caused an outburst on Lois. Their marriage was slowly falling apart, and no sweet sentimental monologue could save either of them.

But nothing was going to change Brian and Stewie.

They were two peas in a pod, inseparable (specially that one time when they were glued together), and though they were awfully different, they were frankly the best of pals. Nothing was going to change their world.

Except for, of course, a bestselling sequel to _Faster Than The Speed Of Love_.

Brian didn't know how he did it-and he wasn't being honest either. The novel was more of a joke, really, something he hadn't spent more than a year on, and yet when he playfully showed it to a publisher, she went nuts and took it outside for the whole world to see.

Since then, television shows and movie deals had been coming out of nowhere into Brian's face. He made it big to the top, and he resides comfortably at a penthouse in New York City, with longtime and serious girlfriend, Denise.

That left Stewie alone.

He was smart for his age, but not as strong. He wouldn't admit to missing either of his family, but he despised the fact that he ended up with his parents. Especially when he overheard Lois talking to Carol- that they're only together for the sake of Stewie's sanity, the teen spat on the ground in disgust, too boiled to even kill his mother now.

He didn't know what he was waiting for at this point.

Obviously, he wasn't suicidal, but without Brian there was no one to have an adventure with. No one to annoy while he ate hair filled pie, and no one to question high-pitched like about their novel. His best friend was practically gone, and as much as he wanted to ignore and forget about him whenever the dog came to visit, Stewie was the one who never left his side until Brian had to go once again.

Despite his denial, Stewie felt empty inside. _Positively_, empty.


	2. Hell Comes to Quahog

Chapter 1. Hell Comes to Quahog

The pink bow clipped her dirty blonde hair together in a pony tail, and it was a bonus that it matched her favorite white polka dotted dress. The light pink gloss on her lips tied her beauty together, and Stewie eyed her in her bedroom as she finished her book report.

"Oh God," He rolled his eyes, and went onto his business. "I'm practically stalking my neighbor." He shuffled the wheeled chair onto his desk, and began the finishing touches on his own paper. The house was usually filled with the screams and frustration of Peter and Lois, but today was one of those rare days when everyone kept to themselves.

Besides, it was going to be a good day.

Brian was coming to visit for a day, and after the day he was going to take Stewie to the city to see museums, look at Broadway shows, and take him out on elegant dances. It was a "little" thing Brian did once in a while to treat Stewie. Besides the fame and fortune, Brian still cared about his friend.

…

It felt odd to him, that Peter wasn't as glad to see Brian, but he shook it off as mild jealousy to his success. Denise stood beside him as Stewie rushed downstairs and into his dog's arms for an overdue hug.

The couple usually stayed at the Griffin household for a night, to catch up on some gossip, but the aroma of the household spelt out sad and depressing. Brian could no longer cheer Lois up as he used to, by claiming that she was too good for Peter. Now that he found the perfect mate for himself, Lois had the hint of regret in her mind, bitter of what could have been.

Peter, on the other hand, who was the most easily amused person Brian had ever met, looked pitiful on the couch as he flipped through channels. Brian tried to start a conversation, pointing out flaws in memorable shows, only to be shut down by a grunt.

The only reasonable thing to do was take Stewie tonight. The drive to Manhattan was well over three hours, but Stewie enjoyed this precious time. Denise even sat in the back, fiddling with her iPod so that the teen could be closer to him in the front.

They spoke about school, lovers (Stewie tried to play it off as having sex with more than five girls, which was quickly busted), and new friendships. Brian's been hanging out with some other new authors, Stewie has been getting close to his neighbor's children.

The conversations were short and idle, but they laughed along with everything and recalled memories ("remember that time we high jacked a car?"), and when they got to the penthouse, they played games and fooled around even more.

Sure, Stewie was heartbroken that this couldn't be an every night thing, but the moment he did have with Brian, he cherished all too much.


	3. Prick Up Your Ears

Chapter 2. Prick Up Your Ears

It was his third night, and he was to leave the very next day. It was a small tradition, almost a promise, which Stewie were to meet with his neighbors the day before class started and have a picnic in honor of the last day of summer.

The two of them went out to dinner at the Per Se, and Stewie was dressed in his best tux, excited to see the rage of the most talked about restaurant. He almost ignored the hesitance and sadness in Brian's eyes.

"Are you alright?" He asked, taking a sip of the wine delivered to him. He naturally made a sour face, but was pleasant with the overall flavor. Despite promising to wait for his meal, he continued to take small sips from the glass.

Brian grinned weakly, worried about something. "It's nothing, kiddo."

Stewie smirked under the glass cup. "Sure thing, Brian." He placed it down further away from him, in hopes to not drink anymore. "Just tell your old pal Stewie what's been bothering ya."

The dog sighed contently. "It's out of your league, pal." He winked, which almost swooned the teen.

"Oh, it's Fatman and Lois, isn't it?" He bit his lip, worried that his parents were the cause of Brian's flee.

Brian laughed shortly, but paused soon after, looking down at his placemat. "It's difficult to explain."

Involuntarily, Stewie's eyes widened, and he reached out for his wine.

"Well, techniquely," The dog shrugged and was preoccupied with a gay couple a few tables over them. "It's not that very hard to explain."

The teen chuckled, putting the glass down right in front of him. "Then why don't you go on ahead and say it?" He grinned widely, piercing it through Brian's heart.

"Well," Brian laughed, glancing only for a moment at his friend. "I'm a dog, and dogs don't age very well."

Stewie gave him a quizzical look, but didn't respond.

"And, uh," His throat swelled up and became dry, and his stomach was completely empty all of a sudden. "I, love you." He smiled, but Stewie refused to buy it.

"Brian," He said slowly, reaching across the table grabbing his paw. "You're my best friend. I love you. And if you love me too, you'd tell me what's bothering you."

There was no sugarcoating it, there was no stalling, Brian had to come out and say it.

"Stewie, I'm dying." He said it normally, but the words had trouble getting into Stewie's ears.

He laughed nervously, telling Brian how funny he is. The food they ordered arrived, and Stewie stuffed his mouth immdeiaently. Brian merely glanced down at his plate.

"Stewie, I wish this was a joke-"

"Oh, but it is Brian." He simply stated, taking another sip of his wine. He motioned for the waiter to come and refill it. "It is a joke, because you are a comedian."

The sadness in Brian was disguised and anger, and he raised his voice and burrowed his eyebrows. "I'm dead serious Stewie-" He ignored the unintentional pun. "I'm not going to be living for much longer."

The teen ignored him, picking at his food.

"Stewie, please," He calmed down, finally picking up a fork. "I only have two more months before I can make it."

The teen dropped his utensil and sighed. "Brian, I'm sorry." He said sadly, glancing up at his friend. "I, don't want you to go." He shrugged. He laughed a little, an attempt to fight back the tears that quickly formed in his eyes. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Brian smiled, glad he finally accepted his fate. "Be here for me."

Stewie gave out a large, loud laugh. "Oh please, anything else?" He wiped away a tear disguised as too much laughter.

"I'm serious." Brian smirked, taking a bite of his meal. "I'm in so much pain already, but the weed helps me get by and be able to do this with you." He placed his fork up in a toast, and proceeded to put more food in his mouth.

Stewie became silent for a while, and although his fois gras lived up to its expectations, he wasn't hungry anymore. Each bite was forced, and he felt like regurgitating it back up.

"So, what if," He trailed off, swooshing some of the sauce from his plate. "What if you were human?"

Brian chewed, amazed by how delious his truffles were. He never thought he would have liked them until he tried them. "I guess I would have more time!" He laughed, continuing on his meal.

Stewie smirked, giving Brian a bite of his own food with his fork. He commented on how tasty it was, using words that Stewie figured Brian just looked up this morning for this very moment.

"I wonder," the teen muttered to himself as he picked up the last piece of fois gras. "How the man who stuffed the goose felt." This bite, however, settled finely down his throat and into his stomach.


	4. Into Fat Air

Chapter 3. Into Fat Air

He had a plan, and as strong willed as he was, he wasn't going to take any risks on it being the perfect plan. Thus, he will go along with Brian's "death wish", but he will not, however, take part in his funeral. Again.

"Come on, Stewie," He yelled as they drove to Rhode Island. "You have to do this for me."

"Do what?" He replied, staring out the window.

He dog barred his teeth in frustration. "Please Stewie, you're my best friend."

"Best friends don't plan each other's funerals, unless they're planning to kill them." He spat out, sending a knife straight through Brian.

No one bothered to speak again until they were in front of the Griffin household. "Stewie," He stopped the car, resting his head on the steering wheel. "It'll all be okay, in the end."

The teen gathered his things and slammed the car door shut. "Of course, Brian. It always is." And with a wink, it sent Brian a queasy feeling he must stop.

"Stewie, what are you planning on doing?" He called out, stepping out of the corvette and chasing after the teen.

"Oh, nothing Brian." He smirked, sneaking into Quagmire's house. The blue home reminded how unwelcomed the dog was into the cat-lover's home. He could easily have ran Stewie into the house and catch him in the act, but he knew well he would get a verbal beat down if he stepped into Glenn's home.

He turned around with his head down, and drove off into the city.


	5. Quagmire's Baby

Chapter 4. Quagmire's Baby

She was the happiest child, young and smart with aspirations higher than the buildings she build with blocks on the rug. No doubt, that she was the greatest thing to ever happened to the older, couple, who after so many failed conceptions of their own, had decided to adopt Anna Lee Quagmire.

Of course, her name was changed to Smith soon after, and she grew right before their very eyes until the tragic, almost cliché in a sense, car crash of December 24th. The ten year old waited by her grandparent's front door, waiting the arrival of Mommy, Daddy, and Santa Claus. Who of course came, was a police officer who knelt down in front of her, taking his hat off and holding it close to his chest, a mournful look on his face.

With the elder Smiths far too old to raise a child, the authorities turned to the biological father, before placing Anna Lee in a foster home. Jumping through the window of opportunity, Glenn Quagmire agreed to take his daughter back.

They both live happily beside the Griffins ever since.

Anna Lee grew close to Stewie, and when he barged through her bedroom door, more worry than surprise overcame her. _In Cold Blood_ was placed gently next to her, and she scooted up on the bed and watched her friend pace nervously throughout the floor.

She wasn't sure what was going on- she thought of Stewie the most rational one out of their friendship, but she kept quiet and only waited until he finally spoke.

"I, I think I'm going to do something," He paused, pursing his lips and staring at her.

"What are you planning on doing?" She asked, curious and startled at the same time.

"Brian's dying," He said softly, but she could hear him clearly. "And I'm going to use the time machine to make him better."

She bit her lip gently, and Stewie wasn't sure if she didn't agree with the idea or just the natural reaction when she heard his name. Anna Lee shared some attributes from her father, and her hatred for Brian was passed on.

"Why are you telling me for?" She spat, though it didn't come out as harsh as she intended.

He glanced around the room, though no one besides her was in the house at this time. Glenn began taking night shifts for more pay, but it often left Anna Lee alone.

In a whisper, he told her "I plan to make him human while I'm at it."

It came over her, a sudden wave of shock and worry. She didn't know why or how, but she felt nauseated and sick for her friend. "I don't think you should do that," She said with a dry mouth. "You're playing God."

Stewie stepped back as if he were ultimately offended. "Yes? And what'd wrong with that?" He shook his head in shame. "I mean, do I really need to go out and search for Jesus and ask him myself? Because that will take longer than me doing the work, you know."

She bowed her head in defeat, the already messy bun of dark hair gradually falling across her face. "Stewie, it's not that I don't like Brian," She said, though they both knew that was a lie, "It's the fact that you can't play with death. Then you're the one who would be getting hurt." She shrugged, but he only starred at her in the face.

"I thought you were my friend," He played. "I thought you were on my side. I thought you'd be the first one to help me in a mission, to find pubic lice and put it in Principal Stristam's hair." Anna Lee lightly chuckled at the fond memory. "I thought we were going to be doing great things together."

It was true, what he spoke of. Despite Glenn's perverted and erratic ways, he was intelligent and raised Anna Lee to be the same. She wanted to become a scientist, one that had to do with biology and DNA. She went wild for DNA. Stewie and her were going to be the perfect duo.

He left angrily, betrayed by his own kind. Of course he could have figured out the formula by himself- it would have taken a shorter time if Anna Lee were to help, but Stewie would just have to do with all he had.

There's so gonna be more character development here.


	6. Chapter 6

His head laid wearily against the cold metal wall of the time machine, the rapid, bright blinking lights played in the back of his eyelids. The screams of his mother yelling at his father woke him up, and he yawned and scratched at himself until he could walk out of the device. Papers were scattered throughout his room, and he smiled as he found a solution.

A formula, in which drunk, does nothing but cause a bad stomach ache. However, when inside the time machine, the molecules infuse with dogs' DNA, turning them into a human's. It smelt disgusting, and the real test was getting Brian to drink it.

Stewie placed it in a tin bottle. It was made up of blood and rather interesting chemicals, and he would have to tie up his friend and stuff him in the time machine if Brian didn't comply.

The day was ever so hot to be so near autumn, but he didn't have time to think about the weather. He stepped outside and at the corner of his eye he saw his two neighbors setting up a blanket on the lawn. He muttered curse words under his breathe as Anna Lee caught him. She gave him a nasty glance, one that almost scared Stewie, but she didn't say anything.

He wouldn't be surprised if she told Susie he wasn't going to be there today.

"But we always have our 'Before School' picnic!" Stewie could imagine her pout, a worried and disappointed look in her eyes. "We've always done it. Ever since kindergarten." And he could see her kicking softly at the ground, upset but never questioning it further.

He bit his lip and sighed. Brian came first. He always came first. But by god, did Stewie miss his other friends. He turned back into the house, rummaging through his cupboard for snacks. This was the last distraction before making Brian better.

He came up the girls, arms full of various treats, and Susie's eyes glistened with utter delight. She was simple. She struggled with some classes, she wasn't the prettiest girl out there, and hell, by Stewie's and Anna Lee's standards, she was weak. But they loved Susie. And she loved them more.

She helped him with the little snack bags, asking him small talk questions. "How was your weekend? How did you sleep last night? Are you excited for school?" The only difference was that Susie actually cared. She wanted to know if his mattress was still lumpy. She wanted to know what classes he has now.

She wanted to know how Brian was.

He avoided answering that.

Anna Lee didn't speak much. Rather, she kept her eye on him the whole time. Susie made little sandwiches they munched on, and the black haired girl had brought bottles of soda they could drink. Susie spoke most of the time, telling them what her and Kevin did that weekend. Stewie lost interest, but he kept a sincere face on.

But now it was his turn. Anna Lee stood up, ready to throw out the garbage. "Sit down," Susie smiled. "Stewie was just about tell us what he did with-"

"He already told me." She grinned, avoiding a glance from the boy. She snatched his wrapper, and went to the curb to throw it in the garbage can.

The dirty blonde girl leaned in closer to Stewie. "Is she still upset at him?" He nodded.

"It's a long story." Stewie sighed, fiddling with his half drunk bottle of sprite. "But, I should actually go now."

Her face fell and went pale, a look of loneliness casted on her features. But she didn't question it. "Okay." Left her lips, and she proceeded to clean up her share. All three of them went to their own houses.

And Stewie didn't feel guilty one bit. He had a job to do.

Brian went to Quohog for family emergencies, such as when Peter almost dies falling down the stairs. Of course, it had nothing to do with Stewie. Peter just needs to be more careful.

Lois had gone to bed early, and it was just the two of them. He offered his dog an alcoholic drink, the formula drenched in vodka. He doubt it would mess anything up, he was just too excited for the plan to work.

"We should go somewhere in the time machine, like old times." He winked, and how could a drunk Brian say no?

And voila.

The blinking lights blinked faster. The sound got more shallow as they drifted through time, and then back. Brian groaned and held onto his stomach, tears streaming down his eyes. No one could see a thing, and Stewie was scared. He was afraid he did something wrong. He was probably going to kill his best friend tonight, and he thought all of this in a mere millisecond.

But it was fine. The machine was put back in place. The time was present. The teen jumped out of the machine, the smell of sweat and tears making him want to vomit.

Brian moaned, something in the pit of his stomach heavy, but then all of a sudden light. He opened his eyes, shutting them afterwards. "Oh my god." He whispered, opening them slowly again.

He knew what they were the moment he saw them.

Colors.

A nervous but satisfied twitched overcame his mouth as he didn't know whether to smile or not. He didn't move from the floor, staring at the flashing lights of the machine. He gave them names, even though he didn't know what exactly they were. Blue, purple, green- he turned his head to look at Stewie, leaning against the wall.

He wore a yellow button down shirt, and red jeans. His shoes were a silvery color, which could explain why Brian could kind of see that. He beamed at his friend.

"Stewie! Look at all these colors!" Brian exclaimed, but when he sat up, he stopped. The same pale, scared look overcame his face. Slowly, he glanced at himself.

He wasn't covered in fur.

He grew taller.

He didn't have a tail.

And all the colors he saw faded to red with rage.

"Buddy, don't be upset." Stewie cringed, backing off. "I- I did this to help you! Why are you so angry? Being a person is great!"

"Stewie I didn't, I didn't ask for this." Brian grinded his teeth, which hurt because they were more sensitive. "Change me back!"

A tear streamed from his face. "I don't know how." Stewie replied, completely heartbroken.

"What do you mean you don't know how? You mean I'm like this forever?!" He yelled, cornering the teen against a wall. He did admit though, he liked being taller than Stewie again.

"But you, you're so handsome." He reached up at him, caressing his cheek, trying to change the subject.

Brian's teeth stung and hurt from how much he grinded them. He wanted to punch that football headed kid ever so badly, but he stomped away.

"Leave me alone." He growled, as if he were still a canine. He went out of the room, never looking back. Stewie glanced at the time machine, holding back tears he never thought he'd shed. He kicked the edge of the machine, the cold metal feeling shivering up his leg, but it was better than feeling heartbroken.


End file.
